Thrice Divorced Sean Penn Swears Off His 'Heart Broken By Romance Again'
Sean Penn is done with the drama that comes with love after three failed marriages and multiple relationships with famous women.
The Hollywood veteran recently shared his new perspective on romance, noting that at 63, he is "thrilled" to be single and living freely without a broken heart.
Sean Penn's first marriage was to the Queen of Pop, Madonna, then the actresses Robin Wright and Leila George. However, he only shares two children with Wright.
Sean Penn Feels 'Thrilled Every Day' To Be Single
During a heart-to-heart interview, the "Mystic River" star addressed his relationship status, revealing he was not in a serious relationship. Penn explained that he feels "thrilled every day" thanks to his newfound freedom, saying:
"I'm just free. If I'm going to be in a relationship, I'm still going to be free, or I'm not going to be in it, and I'm not going to be hurting. I don't sense I'll have my heart broken by romance again."
The 63-year-old noted that he once loved drama in romance; however, his perspective on love has changed. He told the New York Times that being madly in love with a person now won't stop him from leaving if there are visits from "the trauma gods."
Penn Recalled His 'Brain Shrinking' Thanks To A Previous Relationship
According to Penn, his feelings for a lover could quickly evaporate, like they never existed, if the situation became dramatic. "I look at my dogs and say, 'Hey, it's us again,'" he joked, noting that he had experienced one-sided relationships.
These past romances were so bad that Penn claimed, "The first thing I see in the morning are eyes wondering what I'm going to do to make them happy that day. Rarely reciprocated."
Another example came from his three marriages; however, he did not specify which ex-wife. "On one of my marriages, the background noise of life was 'Housewives of Beverly Hills' or another thing called 'Love Island,'" the Hollywood veteran recalled, adding:
"Not even being in the room — I'm not saying this to be cute — I was dying. I felt my heart, my brain shrinking. It was an assault."
The 'Daddio' Star Wants A Drama-Free Relationship
Despite the pain and one-sided relationships he has experienced, Penn has not given up on finding a drama-free romance. He told the outlet that his "friends in the female department" are proof of what a good love story should look like.
He described them as "beautiful, wonderful people" who are "wonderful with their partners or wonderful on their own." These female pals have shown Penn that "relationships don't have to be dramatic or draining."
The actor's infamous relationships with women began on the set of the 1984 movie, "Racing with the Moon," where he met actress Elizabeth McGovern. The pair soon fell in love and got engaged, but their rollercoaster romance ended as quickly as it began, per PEOPLE.
Penn's First Attempt At Marriage Failed Over Differences
McGovern pressed the brakes on her fast-paced romance with Penn, revealing in an interview that their relationship had been "exhausting." She started dating the actor with little experience in love, but that excitement soon wore off.
"In the beginning, it was fun. We were a similar age and in the same place professionally, so we were experiencing everything together," McGovern recalled, adding:
"We lasted a couple of years on and off. I didn't want to get married, but he did — or at least he said he did. It was so exhausting I couldn't sustain it. We also wanted to do different things."
Inside Sean Penn's Three Marriages
After his failed attempt to get married to McGovern, Penn finally succeeded in 1985 with Madonna. Unfortunately, the pair went through multiple ups and downs that saw abuse speculations rising in 1987 and 1989.
However, the former couple have repeatedly denied the rumors, with Madonna claiming her ex-husband had never been abusive in a defamation lawsuit. After their divorce in 1989, Penn moved on with actress Robin Wright.
They welcomed two children before saying their vows in 1996 and remained together until 2010. Penn and Wright did not separate on amicable terms as they had different views on how to raise their children.
Ten years later, the Hollywood veteran tied the knot for the third time to Leila George in July 2020. But the pair did not last long, with the Australian actress filing for divorce in 2021.
